Steve Merillat has been involved in the Pool Industry for 40 years. Since the
age of 15, he started working for a local pool supply ..

A lot of us are seasoned pros when it comes to
maintaining our swimming pools. It's almost like second nature. Like riding a
bicycle, or brewing your coffee in the morning. I can do that with my eyes
shut. But for a lot of newbie's or even people that have only owned their
swimming pools for a couple of years it's a struggle still every year when its time
to open their swimming pools. Well read on, here are a few tips on opening your
swimming pool for the upcoming season. First thing of course is to remove the
cover removing any debris and pumping off any water that has accumulated over
the winter season. Make sure you clean your pool cover off and dry it before
you put it away so any mold or mildew will not build up on it.

Remove all the freeze plugs and devices you have
installed in protecting your swimming pool from freezing. All of these items
will have to be removed before you go to your next step. It is now time to
start up your pool pump and pool filter. If you didn't clean it when you closed
the pool last year, do it now. Prime your swimming pool pump and start er-up.
You will hear a lot of action in your plumbing because of the air that has been
trapped in the pipes. Make sure you release any built up pressure before
opening up your equipment. When running, go around and check for any leaks.
Time to clean the pool. If you had a mesh pool cover, there will be dirt and
debris in the pool. Scoop out debris with a leaf net, and vacuum the rest. If
you had solid cover it should be relatively clean. If not, check for a hole or
improper installation of that cover.

Add necessary water to get the level to halfway up
your pool skimmer openings. Then you must let your pump run for ½ a day to let
the new water circulate with the old. After that is done you can check your
water balance and add your swimming pool chemicals. The best thing to do is
bring a water sample to your local pool professional for analysis. If you don't
know be sure to follow their procedures so you don't damage any of your
swimming pool surfaces. Install all ladders and handrails if you have them.
Please make sure you inspect your diving board before you let anyone use it.
Look for any stress-cracks and if you find a single one, replace your diving
board. If you have tiles around the top of your pool clean them with baking
soda only. You should never use any abrasives or cleaners in your pool. For a
good reference on swimming pool start-up procedures can be found National Pool
Council's website.

An expert in his field, Steve Merillat has been
known as the Swimming Pool and Spa Guru. He has been a leader in the Swimming Pool Chemical
& Spa industry for 35 years. He has invented many of the processes that
are used today in the installation of swimming pools and spas. He holds
classes on how to properly take care of your swimming pool. If you have any
questions about you Swimming Pool or Spa, visit 1800Pools.com

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Building a house with a swimming pool is no longer a
luxury nowadays. With its feasible function as well as its financial advantage,
swimming pools are now considered as hot portion of a house.

Experts say that the presence of swimming pools in
homes create a higher market value, bringing homes at a greater perspective. No
wonder why homes with swimming pools that are on resell have higher resale
values compared to those that do not have pools.

For this reason, more and more people are now opting
to build or refurbish swimming pools in their homes. In a survey, 8 out of 10
respondents have stated their desire to build or renovate swimming pools.

However, the process could be very tricky and the
financing ability of the homeowner is such a big issue. Building a swimming
pool is not such an easy task and requires a lot of tools, materials, and labor
force. Hence, there is usually a big amount of money involved.

If you cannot afford to pay the expenses in building
or renovating a swimming pool, it is best that you get swimming pool loans.

Swimming pool loans fall under the category of home
improvement loans. These loans are usually used to add value to a certain
house. Hence, the resale value becomes higher and more profitable for resell.

However, getting a swimming pool loan is not that
easy. Loans are one of the most sensitive money matters and must be dealt with
accordingly. Hence, it is important to know the basic rules and tips in getting
swimming pool loans to avoid financial problems.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Do your homework

Remember that not all swimming pool loans are created
equal. Most of all, loan quotes are not provided in the same context in all
situations and in all companies. It is imperative that you personally get in
touch with your contractor and ask them the possible quotes for the
construction or renovation of swimming pools.

The point here is to get as many quotes as possible.
This will make your budgeting easier to deal with. It gives you a generalized
scenario of the market. In this way, you will be able to deal with the matters
as professionally as possible.

Also, it is imperative that you know the lending
institution that you will approach. Check on the background information of the
company. How long have they been on the business? Are they worth your time and
effort?

2. Look for lower interest rates

Most private lenders that can provide you swimming
pool loans, their interest rates can be astronomical. When opting for lower
interest rates, financial experts suggest that you compare the interest rate
and swimming pool loan tenure offered by your lending company.

The concept is that if your loan is extended over a
longer period in years, then your monthly amortization is lower, but the
interest is higher.

3. Collateral matters

Most lending companies are particular with three main
factors before they can grant you with loans such as swimming pool loans.
Factors like the collateral, ability to pay, and the borrower's character.

Among the different lending companies, banks are the
ones that are very particular with character. Some may have the capacity to pay
but many may not be of good character. Collateral is another issue. Not any lot
will do. The location has to be considered.

4. Read the fine print

An important reminder of all: Read the fine print
before signing. Things to look out for: high interest rates, pre-payment
penalties, and balloon payments. These are all adding up to bury you further
into debt.

5. Capacity to pay the loan

Experts suggest that you borrow money only if you have
plans of selling the house together with the swimming pool of course in the
future. This is because home improvements such as swimming pools add up to the
resale value of the whole estate.

So before you get a swimming pool loan, make an
assessment first. If your cash flow or even your future profit taken from the
resale value of the house is higher than the interest rate, then go ahead and
borrow.

So the point in swimming pool loans is to know exactly
where you are heading. You do not just borrow because you need a swimming pool.
You should also take into consideration its future stake.

6. If possible find a broker with experience in home
improvement loans and swimming pool financing. A bank equity loan is not the
same as a this type of loan and will almost certainly cost you more.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Algae are a nuisance pest to every swimming pool. If
you are a swimming pool owner, you are probably very familiar with algae. If
you are new to pools or are considering swimming pool ownership, algae can
range from a single celled organism to a multi-cellular plant without any true
root, stem, or real plant structure. Algae grow in water swimming pool water
and leave a slime residue on swimming pool walls. Algae is found in all types
of swimming pools (in ground, vinyl, and fiberglass pools) but particularly
swimming pools with rough pool wall surfaces for the algae to cling to such as
plaster walls on an in ground concrete swimming pool. It is most prevalent in
shallow ends of swimming pool because those areas are warmer and receive more
light for the microorganism to use as food and fuel for growth.

Algae buildup is not the result of an abnormal
contamination or a chemical imbalance, it is a naturally occurring organism and
is a nuisance phenomenon in all swimming pools. The best way to prevent and
maintain algae buildup is to perform weekly cleanings, vacuuming, and filter
changes. Also, make sure your chlorine and bromine levels are where they should
be to inhibit single cell or multi-cellular microscopic plant growth (i.e.
algae). However, even if you perform scheduled maintenance and your chemicals
are in perfect balance, algae can still infest your swimming pool.

Algae grow as spores which can and will find their way
into your swimming pool. They may be in the water you use to fill your pool,
they may be carried into your swimming pool by your pool patrons, or they can
also be carried into your pool through wind. There is not much that can be done
to prevent algae from entering your swimming pool because of its microscopic
stature.

Algae are a fact of life to pool
owners and are quite a task to remove once it gets out of hand. Many forms of
algae can be taken off with hard work and scrubbing, where other types of algae
will constantly re-occur. These types should be treated with pool chemical
algaecides. For specific

treatment information for a tough infestation, we
recommend you take a sample of your swimming pool water to your pool supply
house where they can analyze your algae type and give you the best chemical
treatment options for it. Since algae will always find its way into your swimming
pool, the best way to treat it is to maintain your swimming pool through
regular cleanings and maintenance.

Poseidon swimming pools is an inground gunite swimming pool contractor and master swimming pool builder in Pennsylvania,
Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. We build custom inground pools,
custom spas, and commercial pools as well as landscaping, patios, and pool
houses.